King of Comedy DAN LENO at Pavilion Theatre and the Grand

Dan Leno (1860-1904) was the greatest of all the music hall stars of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He appeared at theatres and music halls across the United Kingdom filling their auditoriums with his particular brand of comic madness and pathos. Every year he was contracted to perform at the annual pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London’s West End; as well as annual residencies at the famous Pavilion Music Hall, Piccadilly Circus. He became the highest paid artist of his generation.

His influence on other comic performers that followed him is well documented; the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel and in turn they influenced others like Les Dawson, Norman Evans and today the likes of Paul O’Grady (Lily Savage), Peter Kay and of course, Steve Royle. Even the ‘business’ he developed for pantomime laughs has survived and still performed every year up and down the country – the dame’s wig falling off revealing it to be a man is just one example and was all developed by Dan at his Drury Lane pantomimes.

Dan appeared in two touring comedy musicals at the Grand Theatre in 1901 and 1902 and also appeared on the bill a few years earlier at the famous Pavilion Theatre in the Winter Gardens. Ironic that Dan Leno appeared on the very stage where Steve Royle appears in pantomime every year at the Grand Theatre, following literally in his footsteps; indeed, Amanda Barrie, when appearing in panto with Steve, commented that he reminded her of Dan Leno, this was also my experience when I saw Steve there and inspired me to write Naturally Insane! The Life of Dan Leno especially for him.

Sadly Dan’s mental health declined, he was incarcerated for a time at Camberwell Asylum, and alcoholism finally did for him and he died tragically young at age 44. He left behind a wife and several children and a legacy that lives on to this day. On hearing of his early death the journalist and critic Max Beerbohm wrote in the Times:

“So little and frail a lantern could no longer harbour so big a flame…”

Dan’s legacy also lives on at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. It is reported that he haunts his old dressing room and sometimes you can see him in the mirror. If he appears in the wings during a first night it means the show will be a hit! He is one of several resident ghosts at the Lane who has appeared to the unsuspecting many times since his death in 1904.

Roy Hudd OBE was a great fan of Dan Leno and had a photo of him that he always placed in his dressing room when on tour and in the West End. On seeing Steve Royle in Naturally Insane! he said:

“A play that captures the heart and soul and genius of our greatest Victorian comedian, Dan Leno. ‘The Funniest Man on Earth’. His triumphs, his sorrows, his unfulfilled dreams and his fulfilled disasters. It is beautifully cast and played, very moving and, best of all, it is very funny. Steve Royle as Leno is a revelation – a master comic playing a master comic.”